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Witnesses unable to save 71-year-old man from fiery Clayton wreck

The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
By
Oct 13, 2021

A 71-year-old man died in a fiery crash in Clayton County on Monday evening, despite several witnesses trying to rescue him from his damaged car.

Witnesses made numerous attempts to free Niles Noble from the wrecked vehicle but were not able to open its door due to the extensive damage, Clayton police said in a statement.

Officers said Noble was behind the wheel on I-675 North near the entrance ramp for Ga. 138 shortly before 7 p.m. For reasons that aren’t clear, the vehicle went straight off the road and toward a clump of trees, police said.

The car “attempted to turn at the last moment, but was unsuccessful,” police said. The vehicle became wedged between some of the trees and then caught on fire with Noble still trapped inside. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The wreck remains under investigation.

About the Author

Asia Simone Burns is a watchdog reporter for the AJC. Burns was formerly an intern in AJC’s newsroom and now writes about crime. She is a graduate of Samford University and has previously reported for NPR and WABE, Atlanta’s NPR member station.

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